The ministers and MPs at a view exchange meeting also underscored the need for formulating a coastal management board in this regard to resolve problems on priority basis through an integrated approach from every concerned ministry and organisation with active participation of local people.

The meeting under the Programme Development Office for Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan (PDO-ICZMP) was jointly organised by the Water Resources Planning Organisation (WARPO) and Coastal Area Resource Development Management Association (CARMA) at a city hotel.

Water Resources Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was present as the chief guest with Deputy Speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui in the chair.

The minister suggested legislators from coastal areas to supervise the development projects to save about three core people living in the coastal and river basin areas.

He said the development activities of all 29 districts and 47 upazilas of the country's coastal zones is slow due to resource constraints. The budgetary allocation has come down to 3 per cent now from 11 per cent at the beginning of the government's tenure, he added.

Hafiz Uddin said that to prevent the river erosion is costly as it takes about Tk 3 lakh to protect 1 metre basin.

Besides 16 parliament members from coastal zones, Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed, CARDMA President Hasna J Moudud, Environmentalist Dr Ainun Nishat, State Minister for Law Shahjahan Omar, State Minister for Finance Shah Abul Hossain attended the meeting.

HS Mozaddad Faruque, director general of the WARPO and Dr M Rafiqul Islam, team leader of ICZMP, made two power point presentations on ICZMP and draft of Coastal Area Development Strategy respectively.

Dr Ainun Nishat, summing up the suggestions of discussants, said coastal management, institutional framework, planning and prioritisation for effective utilisation of resources, proper management for canal excavation, construction of embankment, cyclone shelters, cultivation and eco-tourism and alternative employment are essential.